1982 Yogi Berra New York Yankees Signed Home Coach's Jersey

New York Yankees home jersey worn by Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra as a coach in 1982. Graded A9 by MEARS. The white knit pinstripe jersey features the famous "NY" logo on the front and the number "8" on the reverse, each appliquéd in navy tackle twill. Berra's name, the year, and the set number of the jersey ("Berra 82 1") are chain-stitched in black upon a white strip tag in the collar. A "Wilson 44" label appears on the left front tail. Berra has signed the jersey in blue Sharpie (grading "5") on the front, halfway between the logo and manufacturer's label. The jersey is completely original, with no alterations, and displays light wear. A few tiny stains are noticeable in the collar, as is a small stain on the right shoulder. Few players have enjoyed such a long and successful association with one franchise as has Lawrence Peter Berra with the New York Yankees. A three-time MVP and one of the greatest catchers in history, Berra won ten World Championships with the New York Yankees during his nineteen-year career. He also managed the club on two separate occasions and enjoyed a lengthy eight-year coaching tenure in pinstripes from 1976 through 1983. All told, Berra spent over thirty seasons as a Yankee in one capacity or another, be it player, manager or coach. Today, he reigns not only as the greatest living Yankee but as one of the most popular and colorful figures in the game. Berra was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1972 and his number "8" was retired by the Yankees in that same year. Graded A9 by MEARS (10 point base grade, but minus a half point each for the stains in the collar and the small stain on the right shoulder). Yogi Berra jerseys are exceedingly rare. Incredibly, this is the only Berra jersey listed in the MEARS census, and it is one of only six Berra jerseys (two dating from his playing days, the others worn during his coaching career) that we can recall having seen at public auction in the last ten years. Of those four other coaching jerseys we have seen (three Yankees and one Astros), one of the Yankee jerseys was an example that was described as having been altered after being sent down for use in the minors (front logo removed). While those other coach's jerseys were not graded by MEARS, by our comparison the offered jersey may be the finest known example. Given the extreme rarity of Berra jerseys dating from his playing career, a jersey such as this, which is scarce in its own right, may be the best even advanced collectors could ever hope to obtain. LOAs from Troy Kinunen and Dave Grob/MEARS and James Spence/JSA. Reserve $500. Estimate (open).SOLD FOR $1,998

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